Pillars of Sand
by basementdweller
Summary: Mulder is still under a coma due to the affects of the alien craft that has altered his mind. No one knows he can hear their voices, but what is truly affecting him is the dreams that are streaming through his thought. second chapter updated!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-files or any of the characters associated with the X-files and ten thirteen productions. But i do admit that on occasion i like to borrow the characters for my own amusement, and hopefully the amusement of all you readers. Please give feedback. I'm new to fanfiction writing but I enjoy it so much i had to write my own. Thanks...BasementDweller

* * *

**Pillars of Sand**

* * *

They were talking again, those voices he could hear. Although he figured no one knew he could hear their thoughts, he could sense the tension in the room as they cast glances at him in his hospital bed, whispering. Diana Fowley's voice was the clearest of all.

* * *

He was on the beach building a sand castle with the little boy. For some reason, Mulder felt like he knew the little boy's name. He felt like the little boy was a part of him. At first he thought that maybe the boy was a manifestation of his childish dreams, as Diana had pointed out to him when he had dreamed of a normal life with her.

But as the dream with the little boy and the sand castle went on, Mulder knew his name.

"Is your name William?" Mulder asked him as he dumped the bucket of wet sand next to the other pillars of sand that they were shaping.

"Yes." The boy answered simply and continued to play.

"Where are your parents?" Mulder asked, looking at the child. He looked familiar and unfamiliar all at once.

"They are coming for me later." The boy replied in the same tone.

The dream changed again.

"Hold on, Mulder," Scully was pleading as she sat next to Mulder's bed. He could hear her but he still could not respond, "Hold on Mulder, I need you to hold on."

* * *

He was in another hospital wearing one of his usual suits and tie gazing at the file infront of him. His sister would kill him, he knew, if she woke to find him browsing through his latest case while he waited by her bedside during visiting hours.

"Um, hello." A voice startled Mulder out of his deep brooding over the case as he glanced at the person with the voice, "Are you Samantha's boyfriend?"

"No, brother, actually," Mulder replied with a slight smirk, "Which is good for me cause she's hard enough to handle as it is."

"I heard that," Samantha croaked from her bed, "Nothing he says is true. Don't let his boyish charm fool you."

"Fox Mulder, and you are?" Mulder said extending a hand to the short red-head.

"Dana Scully." The red head replied taking the offered hand.

"My attendee." Samantha said, "Thanks Dana, for helping me."

"I wish I would've gotten there sooner." Dana replied, as she walked towards Samantha's beside, "Thankfully you just had a concussion. We thought the blood was yours but it was the patient's. We're still waiting on the pathology results. Standard procedure, but all in all, you did a great job with the surgery."

"So the man that did this to her died?" Mulder asked swaying a hand over Samantha's head.

"No, he was just combative. He hit Samantha in the head when we were trying to hold him down after anesthesia extubated him, waiting for extra help. She fell backwards and hit her head on the mayo stand."

"Way to go Samantha." Mulder teased as he stood by her bedside and held her hand, "And you were worried about me when I joined the FBI."

"Haha," Samantha said as she turned her head towards Dana, "So, I get a clean bill of health?"

"Yeah, we can discharge you when the meds wear off a little tomorrow morning. We're going to keep you overnight to monitor how much pain you're in. Gotta have you up and ready for your wedding next weekend."

"You're going to be there right?" Samantha asked, "I don't know if I've received your RSVP."

"I shoved it in your locker this morning," Dana said as she smiled at Samantha, "Sorry it's late. But anyways, I just wanted to check up on you before my shift ended. I'm going to head out but call me if you need anything and I'll be by tomorrow morning. It was nice meeting you Mr. Mulder."

Dana Scully walked out of the hospital room without a glance back. Without realizing it, Mulder had watched after her and was jarred from his slight trance as his sister squeezed his hand.

"Oh no you don't, I know that look." Samantha said, "Didn't think she would be your type."

"What are you talking about? I told you my type was smart and sexy." Mulder joked as he sat in the chair next to Samantha's bed.

"Well, redheads then, didn't think you went for them." Samantha countered as her eyes fluttered a bit.

"Don't you know Sam that when it comes to women, I'm colorblind?"

"Uh, whatever. Anyways, I'm just saying, if Diana sees you looking at her like that at my wedding, you better be sure a fight will happen."

"A fight will happen no matter what I do Sam."

"So, it's gotten worse?"

"I think she's just unhappy, and frankly, I am too. She told me today that she was offered a position in Europe working with the American Embassy as a consultant for terrorist psychology. She practically told me that she would stay if I wanted her to."

"Do you want her to?" Sam asked as she lifted herself onto her elbow to get a better view of her brother.

"I don't know Sam, there's just something missing with us. I love her, but it's not like before. I think we've just grown apart."

"Aww, gee, and I was so hoping she was going to become my future sister in law." Samantha teased as Mulder rolled his eyes.

"You never liked her did you?"

"How could I when mom liked her so much?"

"Well, I didn't really answer Diana because I got the call that you'd been admitted into the hospital for head trauma and I left like my pants were on fire."

"Glad I could be of service."

"Maybe it will be good for us to be apart. I don't forsee us staying together."

"Well, looks like your fabled ESP is finally kicking in."

"Well, since you mention it, I forsee you getting some rest." Mulder said as he pushed Samantha down and tucked the blankets up to her chin, "Once your protective fiancé and your devoted parents get here, you're going to need all the rest you can get."

* * *

In his bed, Mulder's eyes fluttered as the scene changed once again.

* * *

"Is this seat taken?" Mulder asked the familiar redhead as she sat at her assigned table at the reception.

"No, it's not. Have a seat Mulder," Scully said, "I'm sorry I don't remember if Sam ever told me your first name."

"She probably didn't and we'll leave it that way for the time being," Mulder said as he smiled mysteriously.

Mulder looked around the wedding reception to watch his parents and his sister dance on the dance floor, "Can I get you a drink, or will your boyfriend be getting you one shortly?"

"Sure you can get me a drink," Scully smiled, picking up on Mulder's teasing tone, "I don't think my ex-boyfriend will mind considering he's not here."

"Okay then, I'll be right back with a…"Mulder said smiling again as her gestured for her to fill in his sentence.

"Goose and tonic if you don't mind." Dana replied.

"Good choice. I'll be back." Mulder said.

"Where's Daniel?" Samantha asked as she walked up to Dana's table watching her brother go.

"You look beautiful Samantha. I'm so happy for you." Dana said, avoiding the question and grabbing Samantha in an uncharacteristic hug.

"Thanks Dana," Samantha said, noticing the change of subject, "But you didn't answer my question."

"He's not here. We broke up." Dana replied as she leaned back in his chair. Samantha sat heavily, adjusting her gorgeous wedding dress as she looked intently at Dana.

"You don't seem all that sad about it if you don't mind my saying so."

"I don't mind, and we've been broken up for a month already so I've gotten a little used to it."

"Why didn't you say anything? We were in his room the other day and you two were so quiet. I guess I should've picked up on it."

"He doesn't agree with my decisions. And I can't be with someone who doesn't think that I'm capable of having my own career and mind."

"Wow, Doctor Waterston, who would've known he'd be so controlling?" Samantha mused as her gaze trailed to the dance floor and smiled as she watched her new husband dance with her mother.

"Are you having a good time?" Dana asked as she took Samantha's hand, "You're not dizzy or nauseous from your concussion or anything?"

Samantha rolled her eyes, "I'm fine Dr. Scully. And I'm more concerned now whether you're having fun or not."

"I will be as soon as I get a drink."

"Is that where my brother went then?" Samantha asked with raised eyebrows.

"He offered, I hope you don't mind."

"I don't. What I do mind is rebounds. He just broke up with his girlfriend. So I'm giving you fair warning." Samantha said quickly as she stood to smile at her brother as he walked up with two drinks in his hand, "I see you're making use of the open bar."

"Hey, free liquor is always makings for a great start to a wedding reception." Mulder said without missing a beat, "Don't you have a husband you should be tending to?"

Samantha rolled her eyes and turned to Dana, "I'll leave him with you before I take his gun and shoot him myself."

Dana smiled widely and watched her walk away.

"Finally, she's married." Mulder said with mock annoyance as he sat down next to Scully and offered her the drink she asked for.

"You're such a brother." Scully said as she took a sip of her drink.

"I take it you know from experience? Have brother's Scully?"

"I have two actually, one older, one younger, and I can honestly say that the younger one is easier to get along with."

"Ouch, you've just wounded the hearts of all older brothers within a ten mile radius." Mulder smiled as he chewed on his swizzle stick.

"Are you having a good time? " Scully asked, changing the subject, "Your family seems to look like they are."

"Like I said, open bars make awesome receptions." Mulder smiled again, "but honestly I could do away with this monkey suit. I wear suits all the time for work. I'm kinda wishing the groomsmen were required to wear jeans and t-shirts instead."

"I hear you." Scully said raising her glass to his suggestion.

"So, um, Scully," Mulder said, suddenly sounding nervous, "You want to dance?"

Scully looked towards him and nodded yes and he silently stood and offered her his hand and they made their way to the dance floor.

* * *

Mulder gazed at the water as it sloshed onto the sand, barely reaching the castle that was forming from his and William's efforts.

"Are you sure your parents aren't going to worry that you've been gone so long?" Mulder asked William.

"They are closer than you would think," the boy said with all the maturity in the world.

Mulder took a closer look at William and figured he was around six years old. He turned his attention back to the sand castle.

The reality Mulder's eyes fluttered once again.

* * *

"I don't understand," Samantha said as she walked side by side with her brother, slowly licking the ice cream cone that he had bought her. They were having a late lunch near the hospital to celebrate Samantha's safe arrival from Bora Bora, where she had honeymooned for two weeks.

"What?" Mulder asked as he quickly licked the side of his own ice cream as it started trickling down the side of the cone.

"The part where I go away for two weeks and already you and Dana are inseparable."

"What are you talking about? She's not here right now is she?"

"Don't be an ass."

"I'm not. I'm just not following what is so hard to understand. I enjoy her company so I invite her out. We happen to enjoy a lot of the same things."

Samantha stopped in mid stride as she stared at her brother.

"I refuse to believe that Doctor Dana Scully enjoys science fiction conventions and the occasional x-rated video. Unless there is something that you've been enjoying with her that you haven't been sharing in your e-mails."

Mulder stopped in mid-stride also and looked back at her in surprise.

"Is that what you think of me? I can't enjoy a woman's company?"

"Like I said before, brother dear, she doesn't seem like your usual type." Samantha said as she continued walking, "Most of the girlfriends you've had have been smart, I'll give you that. They've been sexy of course, but in addition to that sterotype, they have been brunette, tall-"

"And all containing a genetic resistance to staying with me." Mulder cut off as he continued to eat his ice cream, " She's different from a lot of the women I've spent time with. I know that. I can't help it."

"Okay, I won't ask anymore. She's just become one of my very good friends and you're my brother. I just don't want things to get awkward."

"I know Sam. Don't worry about it. We're adults. Older than you actually, which is something that I don't point out considering I still consider myself twenty something." Mulder chiuckled as he heard his sister's smirk, "It's just easy to spend time with her. And we haven't done anything. We just, I guess, work well together as people. I respect her."

"Okay, whatever. Enough of this conversation. She and I are due in surgery at three for an open heart case." Samantha said as she finished the last of her cone, "I don't know how she works with Doctor Waterston the way she does. If I had to work that close with someone I broke up with, I think I'd go home crying every day."

"What?" Mulder asked, now shocked, and, he hated to admit it, a little concerned, or was it jealousy.

"Oh, shit." Samantha said, slapping her palm against her head, "I just assumed that she told you. Damnit, see, now things are awkward, I don't know what the hell I'm allowed to talk about and what I'm not allowed to talk about."

"Back up Sam, to the part where you tell me who Doctor Waterston is."

"Um, a prestigious doctor with awesome credentials in open heart surgery?" Samantha offered meekly as she started to walk faster.

Her brother was quicker and caught her arm.

"If you want to make that three o'clock surgery I suggest you spill or I'm going to have to wrestle you for the info, right here outside your place of work."

Samantha sighed, feeling like a little girl again when her brother found out that she had made out with one of his friends behind the treehouse in the back of their parent's yard.

"They dated for a long time," Samantha started quickly," It's almost been unheard of to talk about because they always acted like colleagues when they were in the same room, kind of like now. And then a few months ago he yelled at her in his office. We all could hear it. He talked about how she was throwing away her career and how she needs to rethink her choices because she was acting like a child."

"What brought all that on?" Mulder asked, shocked that someone could talk to Scully in such a way.

"She turned in her resignation. Rumor is that she was recruited by the FBI to work in the Crime Labs doing forensic pathology and crime scene investigations."

"That's a pretty good place to be in. Agents all around the world have waited years to get to where the FBI thinks she's at right now."

"I know. But supposedly Dr. W had ideas that Dana would be the next best Heart Surgeon, next to himself of course."

"And this is why they broke up?" Mulder asked, intrigued by this new information.

"I'm not sure. She looked pretty unhappy before all of that happened and from the little things she would tell me, she pretty much gave me the impression that it was headed for a break-up long before she told him her plans. I didn't know the break-up was official until my wedding reception. Did she tell you about the whole FBI thing?"

"Not really. She did say in passing that if her new plans didn't work out she would like to go into pediatrics. She asked me questions about my job though and what I did in the VCU. From the impression I was getting, heart surgery lost its luster for her."

"Well, unless we ask her ourselves, then impressions are all we'll get I guess." Samantha commented, "But it's time I head up. Will I see you at Mom's for dinner?"

"Um, maybe. Not sure yet."

"Planning on getting lucky tonight?"

"Samantha." Mulder said her name as if to admonish her for such thoughts, "We've just been friends these last two weeks.

"How do you know I meant Dana?" Samantha asked sneakily, and playfully punched his arm, "Do you want more with her? Don't let what I've told you affect anything. She's gonna kill me when she finds out I've been spilling all her personal information like an idiot big mouth with nothing better to do."

"I won't say anything. "

"And my other queston?"

"Which was what?"

"You want more?"

"Don't you have to go to surgery or something?"

"Why are you answering my questions with questions?"

"Why are you answering _my_ questions with questions?" Mulder mimicked.

"What?" Samantha asked

"Huh?" Mulder countered.

"Ugh, nevermind." Samantha said as she rolled her eyes and kissed her brother on the cheek, "Call me later, Fox."

"Will do Sam I am."

* * *

"Geez, it was like an ice-burg in there." Samantha said as she followed Scully to the locker rooms. They were both done with the last surgery and it was already seven o'clock at night.

"It's always cold in the O.R." Scully said absentmindedly as she started to change out of her scrubs.

"That's not what I mean and you know it." Samantha said as she started to change also.

"Don't get me started." Dana said, "I just want to get into comfortable clothes and relax."

"I hear you." Samantha said as she waited for Dana to finish dressing, "Hey, I was thinking, maybe I can skip dinner with my parents tonight and go out for drinks with you."

"I don't want to take you away from family time. And don't you have a new husband to go home to now?" Dana said smiling as she straightened her light green, long sleeve shirt and put on her brown boots over her jeans, "We can go out another time."

"Dana, as much as I know that you might need this, I think I need it today just as much. Doctor Dub was such an asshole today."

"I'm sorry about that Sam."

"No, don't do that Dana. You're not his girlfriend anymore so don't apologize for his behavior. You have nothing to do with the fact that at the core of it all, he's the one that is choosing to be an asshole at the end of the day."

"Okay, you're right." Scully said, thankful to have someone say it out loud, "Maybe we should get something to drink. It's kind of chilly tonight anyways, we'll need something to warm us up."

"Ah, Dana, you know what I like to hear." Samantha smiled as she shut her locker with finality and they both walked out of the locker room headed for the closest bar.

* * *

The sky was overcast but there was no rain, Mulder noticed, as he continued to help William construct the last of the sand castle. He felt peaceful near the water. He didn't want to leave.

"You will find peace soon." William said as he looked at Mulder. William now looked around fifteen years old, "You just have to keep looking. Don't forget the things that you've already found. Don't forget the people who have found you. We're building a sand castle. We're making an imprint in the world, in this world. The water won't wash it away so easily. Don't let what you want wash away. You have to fight."

Mulder recovered quickly from realizing William grew in the blink of an eye. William had read Mulder's thoughts so Mulder gave him the only answer he could think of to William's statement.

"You sound like your mother." Mulder said.

The reality Mulder called for Scully and let the dreams continue as he drifted deeper into sleep.

* * *

Mulder walked into the bar and immediately spotted his sister and Scully. He shook his head when he saw how much fun they were having as they laughed at some story the bartender was telling before he set their two drinks on fire and passed them their way.

"What have the two of you ordered?" Mulder asked, coming up behind them, "blow that out before you burn your eyebrows off."

"These are awesome." Samantha slurred, "He lights the sugar cubes on fire."

"How many of these have you had?" Mulder asked laughing softly at his sister.

"This would be two." Scully said as she held up three fingers, "You want one? It's on me."

"No thanks. Sam didn't call me here for nothing. I'm guessing you both need a ride home."

"I can take a cab. I live in the other direction." Dana said, "but Sam, yes, she will be needing a ride."

"I'll take the cab," Samantha said, giggling, "No, wait, I have a husband. I'll call him and he'll get me."

"He's on his way, " Mulder said, "I called him on my way here from mom's house. And remind me to scold you later for telling me you were going to dinner and then ditching me. I had to sit through the whole thing with Dad's meaning ful stares."

"I'm sorry." Samantha slurred with mock sympathy, "I wanted to hang out with my dear friend, Dana."

"You came all this way Mulder, have a drink at least." Scully said as she giggled at Samantha.

"No, that's okay. I'm going to drive you home though since dear sister here has her own lifetime chauffeur." Mulder said as he sat down next to Scully.

He couldn't help but look at her. He hated himself just a little for using her drunken situation to look her up and down, hoping she didn't notice. Her hair was down and long below her shoulders, waving messily at the ends. The scarf she kept on over her shirt made her look like a teenager as she played with it between sips of her Hurricane drink. He had to admit that she was a site to be seen and he found himself hoping he would be seeing more of it.

"Mulder, you alright?" Scully asked as she caught him looking at her.

Oops, busted, Mulder thought as he recovered by taking her drink and tasting it.

"Eww, it's sweet." Mulder said, distracting the women from his own drunkenness by Scully's presence.

"Get a beer." Samantha said, "Oh, I see Michael's car. I'm going to go out and meet him. Thanks for the drinks Dana. I'll see you at work on Monday."

"Bye Sam," Scully said as she watched Sam kiss her brother on the cheek before she rushed out to meet her husband.

"So, Scully," Mulder said, drawing out her last name, "Any plans for tonight?"

"This was my plan, to get sloshed with your sister after a harrowing day at work." Scully said, teasing him, "Unless there is something you wanted to do tonight. It's what? 11 o'clock? The night is still young for a Friday."

"Did you eat yet? I had dinner at my mom's house, but I doubt you and my sister picked up any food before the two of you trekked over here for nightly debauchery." Mulder said, looking around the bar, "And I wouldn't want to eat anything they're selling here. How the heck did you two hear about this place?"

"Hey, I like this place." Scully said, "it's charming."

"Okay," Mulder placated and grabbed her coat from her chair and gestured for her to get up so that he could put her jacket on, "I could go for a burger right now, didn't eat much now that I think of it. Mom cooked meatloaf. Bleh."

"I want fish and chips." Scully said.

"I know just the place, " Mulder said as he held open the door for her.

* * *

"Good choice Mulder," Scully said looking around at the sports bar, "And it's close to my apartment too. You've been here before?"

"Yeah, a couple of times. I'm surprised you haven't. This is your side of town."

"I hadn't spent too much time here until a few months ago." Scully said trailing off.

"I came here a few times to give my ex-girlfriend time to move her things out of the apartment." Mulder said abruptly.

"Ah, yes, Samantha warned me about that at her wedding reception." Scully said truthfully.

"What?! And just today, at lunch, she was asking me questions about my intentions towards you." Mulder said shaking his head.

Scully smirked and looked at her menu, "She's a hand full Mulder."

"Tell me about it." Mulder said as he gazed at her. I really need to quit doing that, Mulder thought as he looked at his menu, if I keep looking at her like a fool,she'll probably sart wondering what my intentions are too.

She didn't know why but Scully laughed out loud and continued to do so until Mulder joined in.

"I don't know why this is funny. " Scully smiled as she took a sip of her water, "What are your intentions?"

"uh…" Mulder said, already tongue-tied.

Scully laughed again, "I'm just kidding, you don't have to answer."

"No, I know this is weirdly unconventional. But like I told my sister today, I enjoy your company. And I'm hoping it's the same for you. I feel like I'm understating this right now, but I'm drawn to you for some unexplainable reason." Mulder shyly lowered his eyes as he played with the straw in his drink, "Nothing has to be set in stone or anything, but I would like to let you know that you're the only other woman, besides my sister, that I've been spending any time with lately."

Scully smiled at him then, "I've enjoyed spending time with you too. And whenever I'm free you're definitely the only person I've been calling."

"That's good to know." Mulder said looking at her. He was about to say something else but a man came up behind Scully and stood there expectantly.

Scully turned in the direction of Mulder's vision and saw Dr. Daniel Waterston standing directly behind her with a very unpleasant look on his face.

"Daniel, what are you doing here?" Scully said as she turned completely around to see him more clearly.

"I was looking for you at your apartment and you weren't answering your phone. I needed to speak with you but obviously you're busy." Daniel said as he stood and stared steadily into Scully's eyes.

"Maybe another time then," Mulder answered before Scully could.

"And you are?" Daniel asked, squinting his eyes at Mulder.

"Fox Mulder," Mulder replied, "And you must be Dr. Waterston. Your reputation in cardiac surgery proceeds you."

"What kind of a name is Fox?" Daniel scoffed.

"Daniel," Scully said, surprised at the older man's tone of voice.

"Is this how it is now Dana? Is this the real reason that you left me? The reason you resigned from a very prestigious position at the hospital? Over a man?"

"You don't know anything Daniel, and you're making an ass out of yourself." Scully said turning around to face Mulder, "I'm suddenly not very hungry anymore."

"Okay, we can take our orders to go then. Maybe we can have it for breakfast."

Scully blushed as she heard what he implied and heard before she saw the angry retreat as Daniel grunted and walked out of the restaurant while slamming the door shut.

"Sorry Scully, he was getting on my nerves the way he thought he owned you." Mulder said as he rubbed his jaw.

"You didn't have to goad him Mulder," Scully said admonishingly, "But in the grand scheme of things, I believe I should be thanking you. He's been unbearable these last few weeks."

"Tell me about it," Mulder said, "my sister was complaining about him the last few weeks before her wedding. And to think, here I am sitting with the very reason he's been so unbearable."

"Sure, fine, whatever," Scully said as she leaned back in her chair, "Okay, I think I'm hungry again. But I'm definitely sober now."

Mulder chuckled and signaled for the waitress that they were ready.

"So, Scully, I'm guessing I need to be stepping things up a little bit with this whole dating thing. It seems like you have an ex-boyfriend that wants very badly for you to come back to him." Mulder said after they had ordered.

"You have nothing to worry about Mulder. So far, I think I'd rather figure out a possibility with you than go back to whatever it is the hell I had with Daniel."

"Good to hear, Scully"

* * *

"Diana said the patient was awake," one of the technicians said to anesthesia as they watched her leave.

"I'm going to administer more meds." The techinician assured.

Mulder's eyes opened again and were closed by the anesthesiologist as another shot of medication was administered to his i.V.

"That should do it. Hopefully he'll be knocked out enough for when Diana comes back. She's supposed to stay in here no matter what on the Boss's order."

The two of the technicians looked up as Diana entered the laboratory once again and took her side next to Fox Mulder, hoping that he would survive.

* * *

"Diana, what are you doing here? I thought you would have left for Europe already," Mulder stated as he sat on the edge of his desk in the Violent Crimes offices at the FBI.

"I wanted to invite you to lunch one last time," Diana smiled as she stepped closer.

Mulder could smell the familiar scent of her perfume and he leaned back a little from her close proximity, cursing his photographic memory for the images that streamed through his head just in smelling the perfume.

"So, are you busy?" Diana prodded and smiled again, "I thought maybe we could get some sandwiches at that deli you took me to the last time we had lunch."

"Sure, we can do that. Um… just let me grab my jacket." Mulder said, concerned as to what Diana wanted. The deli was packed with people getting lunch to go and the line was long before the two of them got a table outside on the front porch.

"At least the weather is nice." Mulder said and then added awkwardly, "So, are you all packed up for the big move?"

"Yes, I am. I have everything arranged and all ready to be shipped the day after tomorrow." Diana said as she leaned back in her chair.

"That's good." Mulder said as he looked at her suspiciously, "So, we're not having lunch because you left some things at the apartment and needed them back?"

"No, I'm just wonder, Fox, if this is really the end of us." Diana said as she placed her hand over his on the table.

"Diana, come on, we had this conversation the night I got back from the hospital. Remember? You were angry that I had gone to see my sister instead of sticking around to hear out the whole conversation and when I got back you had smashed all the plates in the kitchen?"

"Don't be childish by bringing up that again."

"Diana, I don't know what you want, but if we're going to hash out why our relationship ended then you've got some really bad timing. You're leaving in two days. Just let it go."

Diana looked at the man that she had spent the last three years with and wondered how he could be such a stranger at that moment. She wanted to cry, to beg him to keep her and ask her why she was leaving, but there was only one question left for her to ask.

"Fox, if," Diana cleared her throat as she tried to find the words, "if I were to stay, or if I had made a different decision instead of taking the position in Europe, would we still be together."

"Diana, don't ask this."

"I need to know."

Mulder looked pained but felt like the only thing he could do was be honest.

"No Diana. I don't think we would've stayed together whether you made the decision to stay or not, we would still be sitting her at this deli talking about a relationship that was dead way before we gave it a voice."

"Okay, well, that's what I needed to know." Diana said as she looked at her hands.

"So, I guess you're not that hungry are you?"

"No, not really. Maybe we should go?"

"Yeah, let's go. " Mulder said as he got up and helped Diana out of her seat as she stood.

They walked to where their cars were parked and stood staring at each other for a moment.

"Good bye Diana," Mulder said and he stepped forward to hug her. And he held her as she cried for the last few moments he would ever see her again.

* * *

William now stood by the sand castle, a strapping young man around the age of twenty as he regarded his creation.

He watched his father walk around the sand regarding their work and stopped abruptly infront of him, as if dazed.

"I just walked around the other side and I come back to where you're standing and you're five years older." Mulder said in amazement, "It's like you're a different person every time a blink."

"Not different. I'm the same. I'm just growing with your dreams I guess. I could be your future you know. I wanted to build a sand castle with you but you helped me build this creation. This giant mass of UFO. This is the life that you've chosen. Not the ordinary sand castle but the alien craft that has affected your mind. Your streaming conscious is sending you into the lives you could have and the lives you should've had. "

"What are you, a psychologist? Did I blink and now you're a college professor?" Mulder joked to lighten the mood.

"The core of it all isn't just the fact that you chase aliens, monsters, or boogeymen. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you, no matter how normal your life is or could be, don't want to be alone. With my mother by your side, you believe you can do anything." William said as he turned to the sand space craft and waved a hand over it and then turned to wave the hand at himself.

"I want to believe." Mulder said and the world faded to black.

The reality Mulder opened his eyes and saw Scully.

"You," Mulder croaked, "help me."

And the world was black again.

The lights in the hospital room were dim and Mulder's eyes fluttered open looking for Scully, who was sleeping in the chair next to his bed.

"Mulder? You awake? Pain? I can get a nurse if you need anything." Scully said, jarred from his slight movement.

"No, I'm okay for now. Where am I?" Mulder croaked as he strained to sit up.

"Easy Mulder. You're at Mercy Hospital. I got you here after I found you in the laboratory. They've been running tests on you to gauge what happened. But so far you're just coming up as a regular patient recovering from brain surgery."

"Scully, I dreamed of a little boy and a sand castle." Mulder said drowsily as he started to drift into sleep.

"Sh..Mulder, get some rest."

"No, I dreamed about my sister and you and we were all friends and we were thinking about being tog…" Mulder's voice trailed off again as he drifted into sleep. The memories of his dreams floated away, like pillars of sand washing away with every wave of the ocean.

* * *

the end


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's notes: This story was supposed to be a stand alone but I decided to add it as the aftermath of Pillars of Sand. So here is chapter 2 of Pillars. In this universe, Diana didn't die and is working on the X-files with Scully and Mulder. Mulder obviously hasn't talked to Scully about his dreams but they have impacted his thoughts of her a great deal. **

* * *

Awkward, was all Dana Scully could think as she slid into the passenger seat of the Ford Taurus where Mulder and Diana were waiting. She had given herself a mental pat on the back for not rolling her eyes when she walked into the office earlier that morning and had cheered in her head when she offered to go to the crime scene to gather medical evidence with the pathologist on duty first. Supposedly the Lieutenant on the scene was an acquaintance of Mulder's and had requested their expertise on the case.

But it was awkward now as she sat in the car, waiting for Mulder to start the engine.

She had been walking with him and Diana after they had met her at the crime scene. It was sunny outside and she had taken off her jacket and was clad only in a green Henley long-sleeve shirt and black pants that draped over her black shoes. When she had looked up, Mulder had looked at her like he was surprised to see her looking so casual. And on the way to the car, it became apparent that someone else had noticed her dressed down nature and attitude, and had liked it.

"Agent Scully," Lieutenant Turner said, crinkling his handsome face in a sweet smile, "You left your jacket over there. And also, I was wondering if I could have a word with you."

"Yes, of course," she replied, with as much confusion as anyone that was standing around her, so she followed him mostly to retrieve her jacket.

"I could easily get your phone number from the case-file on record. I know that." Turner's eyes crinkled in another smile as he stopped in a clearing a little ways off from the car and Scully could feel herself blushing, "And I know we still have a ways to go on this thing before it's solved, but I thought I might just ask you if maybe I could call you sometime. We could have dinner. Um, you know, when the case is over of course."

"Oh." Scully's mind reeled. It had been forever since anyone had asked her out on a date, "Um, sure, that sounds nice."

"Okay then," Turner said as he winked at her, "Well, I'll see you around until then, Dana."

"Bye." Scully said quietly as she turned and walked away.

What she didn't know was that Mulder had watched their exchange through the windshield. He'd been noticing men looking at her a lot lately. He wasn't sure what it was about her demeanor but she seemed a little more relaxed. Her hair was growing out and she had updated her wardrobe a bit, and all in all, the complete package of her was mesmerizing.

She was always beautiful, but lately he was aware that other people were starting to take more notice. His jaw clenched at the thought and he looked out his other window. From the way that Turner had watched Scully walk away, Mulder was pretty sure that he didn't want other men to start taking notice of his partner.

The car was silent when Scully sat in the passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt. Diana had opted to sit in the back, which surprised her, and Scully sat and waited. The car did not start.

Mulder looked at her expectantly after a brief pause, "Did Turner have a question about the case?"

Scully looked at him with honest confusion, "No, he didn't." She was dazed. Mulder looked a little angry and Scully had no idea why, but the tone of his voice made her retreat into silence.

Mulder's jaw clenched at Scully's guarded answer and started the car. On the drive back to the Bureau she would catch him sending glances her way but instead he would engage in conversation with Agent Fowley as Scully stared out the window.

* * *

The events of the next two weeks were a string of unexplained events for Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully. It wasn't so much the caseload that she was enduring with the two like minded people she shared an office basement with, but the fact that men seemed to be crawling out of the woodwork, left and right, asking her out on dates, was a phenomenon that she wasn't quite used to.

She had yet to go on a date of course, but just knowing that men were interested was secretly liberating and in some instances she felt more like a woman. Not a colleague, not a doctor, not a brainy know it all, but a desirable woman. It had been a long time.

All these thoughts passed through her head as she readied herself in the mirror. Ethan Minnette had called her for a small favor. He was doing an investigative report for the news station he was working for and needed a date for a theme party that he was attending to get information and access from an informant. With Scully's medical expertise and FBI trained knowledge he had convinced her that having her with him would be more fruitful to his truthful investigation than bringing someone from off the street.

"Off the street?" Scully had said incredulously on the phone with Ethan, trying to hide the laughter in her voice, "You would actually do something like that? It's been, what? Six years since I've seen you and you're already stooping to that level?"

"Well, you know, anyone after you would be a hard act to follow," Ethan laughed as he teased her, "I want to thank you Danes. I know it's been a while since we've spoken, but I hope that I can still consider you one of my friends. I hope I'm not messing up any plans that you have for this weekend. "

"Nope, no plans Ethan," Scully said into the phone, taking care not to sigh too heavily in case Ethan would hear her longing.

"When we lived together, I remember Friday nights to be very busy." Ethan said and Scully could hear the teasing leer in his voice. Had he been like this when they were dating?

"Ethan, I don't have anything to wear on such short notice." Scully said avoiding Ethan's flirting.

"Yeah, that's no problem. You can stop by the station Thursday night and we can look through one of the anchor's wardrobe. There might be some evening wear around. Just head over and ask for me and I'll get you a pass to come in. If you need it, I can probably finagle someone to do your hair for free too."

"Well, okay, I guess you've covered everything." Scully said, "You can fill me in on the story then too."

"Will do Danes, but hey, gotta get off the phone. I'll see you tomorrow night."

And with that he hung up. Scully calculated how many times she had been asked out that week. Two times was a world record in the last five years she had been working for the X-files. She wasn't complaining.

And here she was readying herself in a borrowed dress that was two sexy for her liking but was, as Ethan assured, the kind of dress he needed her to wear to the event. Her job was to drive men to distraction while looking at every detail of the room and its occupants. She scoffed at Ethan's suggestion that she could distract anyone of the opposite gender, but secretly she hoped it was true. And being undercover as Ethan's date was a little gift she was giving herself to revel in the feel of what it would be like to be a desirable woman.

The theme was set in the 1940s and she had found a black halter dress that hugged her body but exposed her back. The bottom of the dress flowed out at the knees and made a flowy look as she walked in it with her high heels on which were visible through the sheer fabric of the dress's bottom. She was weary in showing off her tattoo, but she figured that Ethan would get a kick out of it. He used to make fun of her for trying to be un-sexy and he would never have guessed that Dana Scully was capable of allowing someone to brand her permanently.

* * *

12:30 a.m.  
En Route to Scully's Apartment (after the event)

"Scully," she answered on the third ring as she drove home.

"Hey, did you turn your phone off? I've been trying to reach you." Mulder said by way of greeting, "I was calling to see if I could drop by tomorrow to pick up those reports you worked on this morning."

"Well, I'm actually in your neighborhood, Mulder, I can drop them off now if it's not too late." Scully said as she shifted in her seat. Her back was starting to feel a little sore and she wondered if she might have a bruise from the events of the evening.

"Oh, you are? Well, of course, you can drop them off now. Saves me the trouble tomorrow I guess." Mulder said confused, "What are you doing on this side of town Scully?"

"I'll be there shortly Mulder," Scully said quietly as she hung up the phone without answering his question. She was too tired for this cloak and dagger routine but opted for it because it would be easier to let him guess in person.

1:05 a.m.

Mulder's Apartment

Mulder's eyes widened at the site of Scully standing outside his open apartment door holding the reports he had requested.

"Gee Scully, I'd hardly think dropping off reports would call for formal wear," Mulder quipped to hide the fact that he had practically checked her out as she walked through the door. She was wearing an overcoat, but her hair looked so elegant in a silver pin on the side of her hair making her bangs swoop across her forehead. She had done something to it to make the ends curl around her face in an old-fashioned flapper style. It looked very good on her.

Mulder's eyes widened even more when she faced him and took of her jacket. The ensemble was so un-Scullylike and so sexy he had to keep himself from stuttering like a fool. He felt a weird ringing in his ears and he shook his head to make it stop. She had asked him something but it sounded so far away.

"Mulder, do you have a first aid kit and some ice?" she asked again. Suddenly he could see the tiredness in his partner's face and without question, he scrambled ungracefully to find her requests. He hoped that she was oblivious to his obvious nervousness.

"What happened?" Mulder asked concerned as he came back into the living room, having taken time to regroup, and set the supplies infront of her on the coffee table as he sat next to her, "You don't look like you have a cut on you."

"On my back Mulder, something hurts but I can't see it." Scully said as she looked through his kit.

"Let me see." Mulder said as he stood and grabbed her hands to stand up with him and turned her around. He almost wished that he hadn't done that because her back was so exposed to him and he had trouble taking his eyes off of her tattoo. Looking up more he saw a big bruise forming on the middle of her back and he reached out to touch it.

"Ouch." Scully said at his touch, "I guess it is something then. Is it bleeding?"

"No, but it looks like it's going to be a pretty bad bruise. What were you doing Scully?" Mulder said as his hand trailed down her back.

"I went to a party and I got pushed up against a railing. I guess it was a harder push than I thought it was." Scully said as they both sat down. Mulder took the ice he'd also gotten for her in the kitchen from her hand and refrained from calling out the obvious innuendo embedded in her statement and turned her to face away from him on the couch as he placed the ice pack on her bruise.

"Was it a theme party or something? Nice outfit Scully." Mulder said, feeling safe since her back was to him. He hoped his voice wouldn't give away the fact that he appreciated greatly the appearance she was gracing him with tonight, bruise and all.

"Yeah, I went with Ethan, ouch Mulder, don't push like that," Scully said as she looked over her shoulder at Mulder.

"Sorry, what was the party for?" Mulder tried to mask his annoyance when Scully mentioned the fact that she had been with another man. He hadn't entertained the thought and his jaw clenched, "And aren't you dating Turner now? How many guys are there?"

"Who told you about Turner? And there aren't any guys Mulder, I was just doing a favor for Ethan. I used to date him when I started working for the Bureau. He needed someone for the party he was attending and wanted me to consult undercover."

"So I assume there was some sort of confrontation with, what, an informant? Is he an FBI agent too?"

"No, he's a journalist. And yes, he does have an informant that invited him to the party to provide him with some sort of information. Ethan talked to him before we went into the stairwell and we needed a place to discuss a way to put a surveillance camera in the men's bathroom when someone went through the stairwell and knocked into Ethan and he pushed me into the rail when he lost balance. We both almost fell over the side and we were four floors up. The jerk that pushed him was drunk."

Scully turned towards Mulder and took the ice pack from his hands and set it on the table, "Thanks Mulder, there are the reports you needed. I'm going to head home, it's late and I'd like to get out of these clothes."

Mulder stood as Scully stood and when she turned towards him she lost her balance from her three inch stiletto heels at the same time Mulder's arm snaked behind her to catch her fall. The placement of his hand met her bruise and she gasped at the pain and fell quite heavily into Mulder's front and all they could do was stare at each other, Scully's hands gripping Mulder's biceps.

Mulder's eyes glazed over and his gaze drifted to her lips. There were a million thoughts in his head that should have prevented his actions in this predicament. These same million thoughts had kept him from doing what he was about to do in the past, but the only thought he would let get through at the moment was that he would explode if he couldn't kiss her. So he did.

* * *

Affectionate thy name is Fox William Mulder, Scully thought as she drifted awake from Mulder kissing her on the back of her neck. They were in his bedroom, both wearing matching gray t-shirts. They made out like teenagers on his couch the night before and he had held her during the night after she had showered and changed into the t-shirt he had offered her to be more comfortable.

But she wasn't comfortable. It had been a long time she had slept with a man, and honestly, even though they hadn't gotten past third base, the part that scared her the most was that it seemed like they had been making out like this and sleeping together for years. She had never known such ease with a man before, not Ethan, not Jack, not Daniel and definitely not Ed Jerse.

That fact alone made her turn in his arms from the spooning position and kiss him straight on the mouth.

"I didn't mean to wake you." Mulder said between kisses as he smiled lazily.

"Liar." She said and kissed him more forcefully.

"Okay, maybe I did," Mulder said boyishly and boldly rolled on top of her, "Maybe you woke me up first."

Scully's eyes widened as she felt what he was talking about nudging her thigh.

"You bring your penlight to bed Mulder?"

"What? No. Flashlight maybe." Mulder said as he kissed her chin.

She was going to kiss him back but the sound of her cell-phone alarm alerted her that she had somewhere to be on this particular Saturday morning.

"Mulder, I have to go." Scully said as she looked at him apologetically after she had shut off her phone.

"What? Another date I don't know about?" Mulder teased, but secretly hoped she wasn't meeting anymore men.

"No, I'm supposed to be having lunch with my brother and my mom. I forgot. I wasn't planning this to happen." Scully said as she tried to move from under him.

Mulder groaned. This woman would surely be the death of him.

"Sorry Mulder, I can't miss this one or I'm sure to be disowned. Charles hasn't been around from overseas in a long time and I really wanted to see him."

"Oh, since it's Charles then it's okay," Mulder smiled and then rolled off of her.

"Can I borrow this t-shirt and some boxers? I don't feel like wearing that dress home." Scully asked as she propped her head on her elbow to look at him.

"Only if you bring them back." Mulder said, looking at her with puppy dog eyes.

"I'll bring them back tonight." Scully said.

"Sounds like a plan. And you might want to bring your own clothes if you're going to stay over." Mulder challenged knowing there were many words left unsaid from the previous night, the previous years to be exact, and he was wondering how far he could push her.

Scully looked at him for a beat and decided to not worry about the consequences.

"Okay, Mulder, sounds like a plan."

She quickly got out of bed and grabbed boxers out of his drawer and then walked out into the living room. Moments later, he heard the door click shut and finally, he let go of the breath that he didn't know he had been holding.

What was he getting himself into? He asked himself. Then he shook his head, he knew exactly what he wanted and the only thing he could do now was prepare himself and his apartment for the oncoming night.

* * *

Mulder's Apartment

7 P.m.

In all fairness, being a man didn't mean that he couldn't freak out. He had been cleaning all day which alleviated the pressure he was feeling since Scully had left that morning. The bedroom had clean sheets, just in case, the dishes were washed and all of his mail was pushed into a pile and placed in a box in his closet for some future day when he would find them again and go through them.

But now, he was concerned because he hadn't heard from Scully all day. He figured she was having a great time with her mother and brother but he wondered if maybe she was having second thoughts. That actually made him feel even worse but he was too lazy to get up from his couch and do anymore cleaning so he put in a movie and stared off into space, hoping that the night ahead would turn out better than what he was dreading.

His condition was worsening. His man crush, as he had dubbed in his head to make him feel more macho, was causing slight tremors in his back. He thought back to where this had all started and wondered if it had started with him. He couldn't grasp a time when he might have thought Scully felt romantic feelings towards him.

She was always so cool and collected offering support whenever he needed it and comfort was always a balanced street in their partnership. They depended on each other and he was comfortable with that. He just wanted to make her happy. But in return, he hadn't been happy in a long time until she had stopped by last night and they had kissed like the world would end with the oncoming sunrise.

Mulder ran a hand over his face. He hadn't dated anyone from work since Diana and that was a disaster. She ended up leaving him anyways and now she was back hinting that she wouldn't mind picking up where they had left off. In another time that was something he would have welcomed, but those days were the pre-Scully days. And no matter what Scully might think after the fiasco that the El Rico case had catalyzed, there was no doubt in his mind that if it turned out to be a disaster with Scully and if she left him, he would hunt her down and make her see reason. He had never even thought to go after Diana when she left.

And if he looked back at the last few weeks, or maybe months, he realized that Scully had been pushing away personally. He had lightly flirted with her, as was his usual behavior, but he had noticed that she didn't smirk at his comments as much, didn't let him lead her out an open door with a comfortable hand on the small of her back and any mention of spending time outside of work without a case was met with an excuse or a request for a rain check. So why was all of this happening now? That was a question he might want to address tonight. He let out a frustrated sigh and turned off the t.v.

Forget man crush, Mulder thought, right about now he was feeling like a love-sick pansy. He felt vulnerable. He admitted to himself that Scully could have anything she wanted. He would make her his queen if she just didn't give any indication that she was having second thoughts about the possibility, extreme possibility, that they could be more than friends.

* * *

En Route to Mulder's

7 p.m.

Dana Scully was a nervous wreck. The lunch with Charles had been fun and it was good to see her mother smiling and excited that her youngest son was finally back for a visit. She had threw herself into the conversation with her brother and for that brief lunch-time moment, she had forgotten that the night before had been an event that went against any FBI protocol between male and female partners.

She had quickly gone home after lunch and had spent the majority of the time in between then and now trying to figure out what pajamas to bring to Mulder's. She'd shaved her legs, plucked her eyebrows, shaved her arm pits and had run around the apartment like a chicken with its head cut off looking for things and then tossing them aside.

She had picked up the phone several times to call him but had quickly put it back in the receiver thinking that if she heard his voice she would shrivel up and utter the words that easily came to her whenever faced with unheard and unexplained events. She'd even said the words allowed in hopes that it made her feel better.

"Mulder, I don't know if this is a good idea," Scully said allowed in her car as she drove, wondering if the tone of the way she said it would give her a sign that what they were doing was a bad idea.

She sighed and stepped on the gas. It was pointless for her to believe that this wasn't something she wanted. She had always been attracted to him. She just didn't want to show it. She had chose, since the beginning, to show him that she was his equal; to show him that she could save him as many times as he had her from the badgering erosion of the truth.

She hadn't even gotten a phone call from Mulder all day. She had gotten two calls from Ethan and one call from Lt. Turner and seeing their names pop up on her caller i.d. had made her quiver with nervousness. These were two very attractive and interesting men who were interested in her and it was wrong of her to hope that they would still be around if Mulder decided that he didn't want to be with her.

She had never been one to think in that capacity, but she was scared, and being scared made people do weird things. But she had refrained from calling them back. The pressure was on with her and Mulder, and if she couldn't make it work with him, she would be ruined for any man afterwards.

Scully shook her head, not taking her eyes of the road. The truth was, she had been ruined for any man the day she had walked into Mulder's basement office.

* * *

The knock on the door startled Mulder and he sat up straight on his couch. He stood and straightened his clothes. He looked around the living room to make sure it didn't look like he had cleaned too much and continued on his slow walk towards the door.

The knock came again.

He opened the door. He stared at Scully and she stared back. His breath stopped. It started again.

"Hey Scully, come on in." Mulder said, hoping that he sounded casual.

"Mulder, here are your clothes." Scully said as she handed them to him in a brown paper bag, "washed and ready."

"Thanks Scully," Mulder said grabbing the bag with his left hand and grabbing her arm holding the bag with his right, "come on in."

"Mulder…" Scully said as she hesitantly let him pull her.

"Scully…" Mulder countered as he continued pulling her. He shut the door without letting her go and then continued pulling her towards the couch.

He stopped midway between the couch and his bedroom, not wanting to frighten her but hoping against hope that he wasn't right about what he had been thinking earlier; the part where she decided she didn't want this.

With fear making him move, he dropped the bag and pulled her into his embrace and kissed her on the forehead. To his relief she let him and then hugged him back. Yeah, Mulder thought, definite love-sick pansy.

Mulder leaned his head down further to nuzzle her neck and placed a kiss below her ear, smelling the familiar scent of her perfume.

"You look nice." Mulder said, his voice muffled in her hair.

Scully nuzzled closer.

"Mulder, what are we doing?" Scully asked.

Mulder lifted his head and gave her a leer, "Moving towards the bedroom?"

Scully tried not to laugh at his comment as she looked up into his face. Seeing the hopefulness there she kissed him on his cheek, his jaw, his neck.

Mulder cleared his throat when she kissed him there again, "Definitely moving towards the bedroom."

"How about we move towards the couch?" Scully suggested as she raised her eyebrows.

"Okay, Scully," Mulder said, not letting go of her hand.

To be continued...Feedback makes me write... : ) hint hint...


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